1. Field
One embodiment of the invention relates to a folding electronic apparatus with two housings connected by a hinge.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is a portable apparatus composed of a computer unit having a keyboard and a display unit containing a liquid crystal display connected by a hinge device. Such an apparatus is disclosed in Japanese patent No. 3521168, for example. A display unit of this portable apparatus contains a liquid crystal display, and has a display housing having a foot inserted into a base provided in a main body.
A hinge device has a hinge shaft penetrating the sides of the base and foot. On the side of the base opposite to the hinge shaft penetrated side, a cylinder is provided extending from the base side to the foot along the hinge shaft. At the foot of the display housing corresponding to the cylinder, a through hole is opened a size larger than the cylinder to loosely fit the cylinder. Also disclosed is another embodiment having a base and a foot reversed in the projection-depression relation.
As the size of a display device contained in a display unit is enlarged, the weight of a display unit becomes heavy. Thus, a hinge device with a large rotational resistance is used to hold a display unit at an optional rotational angle. When a display unit is moved rotationally to a main body in such an apparatus, the size of a display device is also increased, even if the rotational resistance of a hinge device is increased. Hence, and the user does not feel stiffness in operation.
However, actually, the rotational resistance of a hinge device is large. Therefore, when a display is moved rotationally, a hinge device receives a large load in the area from the arm fixed part to the hinge shaft. As a result, a display housing may be bent or twisted, and the main body and display unit may interfere with or rub each other in an unexpected area during rotation of the display unit. This may disturb smooth movement of the display unit.
When the rotational resistance of a hinge device is small, a clearance is made between parts, like a base and a foot in Japanese patent No. 3521168. Therefore the interference may be prevented. However, when the rotational resistance of a hinge device is increased, a bend or twist is also increased, and it is necessary to take a larger clearance to prevent this problem. However, if a clearance is increased, the appearance becomes not good. Further, a load causing the bend or twist is not decreased, and a stress concentrates on a part as a base point of bend or twist, causing damage in that part.